One day we will watch the autumn crocus bloom
by Trixter743
Summary: Sequel to Kirika, the Daughter of Orochimaru, set in Shippuden.
1. One day in the life of Kirika

**Okay! Here we go! Part 2 and it didn't even take me too long! This chapter's pretty short and I apologize for that, but honestly I'm not that creative and this chapter was one entirely written from my imagination and not at all from the actual story. But it does help to establish a setting. I kind of want to make this chapter longer but I had trouble coming up with ideas. So if anyone has subjections please tell me and thay will most likely be put into this chapter. I'm also contemplating adding a lemon in a later chapter, but I'm still deciding. More chapters will will be coming very soon : ) Thank you to all my readers who stuck with me in part 1 and are still here. ****Please comment! ****I hope you enjoy!  
**

* * *

"Don't let her take it!"

"More reinforcements to the south gate!"

"Kill her!"

"The east tower is on fire!"

"She's headed for the south courtyard!"

"Surround her!"

I dropped down and sighed. _'The whole clan is here..."_ I was surrounded on all sides by dozens of soldiers. I smiled and stood from my crouching position. I forced my katana from my stomach and shot it at one of the soldiers from my mouth. It his his between the eyes. The soldiers around him stared at him for a moment and then slowly shifter their heads towards me, wide eyed. I chuckled.

"Kill her!" A commander ordered

They charged at me. My body grew ablaze with purple fire, I leaped over them, using them as stepping stones to the soldier I had impaled. Those I jumped on let out screams from the contact made by my burning shoes on their flesh. I gripped the sword from the man's head, stepping on his chest to keep the body down as I pulled the sword. The soldiers stared in horror as I did it, some stared at their burning comrades. As I touched mt Katana, it too was set ablaze.

I smiled and made a hand sigh, extending two fingers from my hand and resting the palm on my chin so the fingers were pointing down my chin. I blew down my fingers and a viscous wind was created, blowing most of them into the air. With my blinding speed I slashed the remaining soldiers who hadn't been carried up and then leaped up into the air, slashing them and them using them as foot holder to push myself higher until I had hit them all. All it required was one cut and the flames would finish the job. I fell down and landed gently on my feet, crouching from the high fall.

I whipped my katana through the air to remove the film of blood that coated it. "Come out now." six sound ninja appeared in front of me "Round up any survivors, take them to the base to be used for test subjects. As for the castle and the dead: burn them until no trace remains."

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

**the main sound village base in the land of rice paddies; yesterday morning**

* * *

I knelt in front of father, back facing him. He was brushing my hair with a comb. "It seems the Enma clan is taking a firm stand against us..." He said

"If they hinder you, I will destroy them for you."

I could feel him grinning. "Such a good girl. Yes my dear, destroy their pathetic little clan, leave no trace of their existence... they do guard something I'm interested in, a forbidden jutsu. Bring it back for me."

"Yes father."

* * *

**the main sound Village base in the land of the rice paddies; present time**

* * *

I spent the rest of the day traveling home. I loved the land of rice paddies, it was always so calm and pretty, the rice fields reminded me of tiles on the earth. It was early afternoon when I approached our main base, it was situated in the mountain of the land of rice paddies. I stopped, looking down into the stairway into the underground base. My eyes widened and I smiled widely. Father was waiting for me in the doorway! I ran to him, stopping a few feet in front of him.

"Father!" I took out the scroll and held it out to him. "The Enma clan's jutsu."

"Excellent." He took the scroll. "And the clan?"

"Ash. The ones who survived will make wonderful test subject for you experiments."

"Good work, Kirika." I stepped forward into his chest. He hugged me and stroked my hair, I loved it when he did that. "Welcome home, child."

"Yes." I smiled "I am home."

* * *

I loved bathing. I really did. I sighed happily at the warm water. My gaze flickered to the clothes I'd been wearing, dirty but neatly folded. I would wash my dirty clothes tomorrow. My normal clothes for missions and traveling consisted of a pale yellow Chinese style shirt and black pants that buttoned up bellow my breasts and widened at my hips (Similar outfit to Hotaru Trschigumo, a filler character from Naruto Shippuden. Google image it). My pocket watch was on the ledge of the bath tub; well... we were in a sound village base grant it so it was more of a stone-tiled hole in the floor than a tub; near my head playing the song. I reached an arm out of the water and lazily flipped the watch up to the portraits of my family and squad seven. I smiled: I missed them and my mother. '_I abandoned so much when I left two years ago: my friends and comrades, my mother, my first unchanging home, my surname Yamada...'_

I stood up and dried myself off. I picked up my dark purple folded kimono, which I'd brought in with me and slid it on, tying the obi tightly.

* * *

I ran my hand over the walls as I wandered through the halls of the base. The cool stone felt nice over my hand, I could feel ever little bump and crack. I was half making sure that none of the candles had gone out; they had to be checked quite regularly. It was quite inconvenient. Eventually I came to the door to the training room. I entered, I knew I'd find him there. Sasuke was practicing his punches and kicks on a wooden training dummy. I smiled, his back was facing me. I silently slipped behind him and wrapped my arms around his chest.

He stiffened in surprise and quickly draw a kunai and pointed it to me. I jabbed the fingers holding the knife before he could stab me, making him drop it.

I buried my head in his chest. "I'm back."

He sighed and lowered his arm. "Quit surprising me like that. One day I'll end up hurting you."

I chuckled in response

"I mean it."

"_You're_ going to hurt _me_ when I can so easily get behind you." I grinned and nuzzled his neck. "We shall see."

"How'd your mission go?"

"Excellent. I'll tell you about it later tonight." Keeping my cheek resting on his neck I slid my hands up to his shoulder and began massaging them. "You're muscles are so tight. You'll pinch a nerve someday."

He sighed happily

"Does this feel good?"

"Yeah, really good." He turned around and pulled me into an embrace. "I'm glad your back."

I smiled "Yes."

"You look good in a kimono."

I buried my head in his neck and kissed his jugular. "I'm glad you think so." I purred "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I've been training all day."

"I brought food." I offered him a box of rice and beef and some vegetables. We eat together quietly on the floor of the training room. The food was tasteless.

"It's bland." He remarked

"Well, we can't exactly buy better foods or spices." I sighed "I miss mother's cooking."

"Yeah. I miss your mother's cooking, too."

he put his hand over mine. The sound of our laughter echoes through the room.

* * *

I pulled back my hair and tied it tightly. My kimono sleeves rolled up and tied, I donned the appropriate apron and face mask and scrubbed my hands sterile.

"The sedative's been administered and the subject's prepared, ma'am." Kabuto said. A boy, Hozuki Suigetsu was laying unconscious and nude, strapped to the metal table in the lab. He was a troublesome one, always turning his body into water whenever we tried to experiment, so he needed to be put under before we could do anything.

I nodded "Good work. Let's begin." I began cutting into the boy's chest with my scalpel. I cut at and stitched the blood arteries near his heart. It was a long, argues and messy process, and the lab began to reek of blood, not that the scent from the last experiment ever really faded. "Hold the skin open." I told Kabuto.

He sighed, watching me dig into the man's organs. "The human body is really quite amazing..."

"Indeed." I agreed. I reached from a syringe, filling it will a chemical and injecting it into the boy's heart. I removed the needle and scalpel and put them on a tray. The syringe would need to be deposed and the scalpel cleaned. "Stitch him up and put him back in his cell." I sighed "We're done."

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

After cleaning the equipment and scrubbing myself I draw up a report of the experiment and given it to father. The report was, of course, incomplete because it was too soon to see it it had worked or failed. I would monitor the boy for the next few weeks until the effects were completely finished, it was declared done of someone else took over the job of watching him. thoroughly it had become quite late. I'd taken off my kimono and and sandals I wore with it and was now in a white under-kimono, which I used for sleeping. The light in my room was out and I was laying in bed, facing the wall, breathing calmly.

There was a light knock on the door. The door opened, flickering candle light spilled in over me. My eyes still closed, I smiled. Sasuke. He lifted the covers and got into bed with me, he warped an arm around me and buried his face in my hair. "You're hair's wet." he chuckled

"Better water than chemicals." I scooted back into me. "You're so warm." I sighed

"Fire style chakra."

"How was your training?"

"Good. How was tampering with human life?"

"Good."

"Doesn't it bother you at all?"

"Not really. I'm experimented on all the time."

"Hn..."

I smiled and closed my eyes. "I'm happy."

He hugged my tighter. "That's good."

"Yeah." I sighed. "Here with you, I'm happy."


	2. Happy Reunion

I raised the Erlenmeyer flask and brought the syringe above it, gently I poked the needle into the collection of fungus and ejected the brackish fluid contained in the syringe into it. The pale blue fungus was attached at the bottom of the inside of the flask, enveloped by a clear yellow liquid. The fungus began to expand slightly, the flask began warming. Then quickly it began to fizz and bubble, the fungus began to expand rapidly, blowing up like a balloon and fizzing over the top of the flask. I quickly placed the flask down into a plastic case on the counter and secured the lid. The fungus continued expanding until it filled almost half of the container.

"Hmmm." I jotted down notes and formulas onto a notebook. Cautiously, I opened the lid to obtain a sample of the material. I clipped it between two glass slides and inserted it into a microscope. "Intriguing." I jotted down more notes before cleaning the slides and took another sample of the fungus, sealing in into a petri dish. I opened a sliding metal door that opened into an insulated metal container, about a metre long in the counter, took the container and set it into a large metal bin along with the empty syringe. I made hand signs for the fire style jutsu and blew purple flames into the bin. I quickly slammed the door shut. The material needed to be disposed of properly, container, flask and all. I opened the door, nothing remained but ash covered metal, I scraped the bin clean.

I took another Erlenmeyer flask. It contained the same type of fungus, but this one was in a light green fluid. I took another syringe of the brackish fluid and brought it to the fungus again.

This process would be repeated almost two dozen times, each with a slightly different variable. Eventually I began retesting everything, however this fungus was attached to the body of rats (some were dead, some were dying). I had been working for what I assumed to be hours, but there was no clock in the laboratory.

I opened the metal bin again and scraped the surface clean. I sighed and looked op at a cabinet above me. There was an abundant supply of flasks and containers, the ones lost today barely made a dent.

A pair of arms circled around my waist. His chin rested on my shoulder. "So this is where you've been all day."

I sighed and leaned my head back and smiled at Sasuke. "Father's orders."

"Disgusting." Sasuke muttered in disapproval, eying a rat covered in fungus.

"We need to start with small animals; easier to contain."

"I see... So no humans yet, huh?"

I chuckled "Working our way up."

I could feel him glaring. He was utterly disgusted with these experiments. He was so cute.

"It's a rare type of parasitic fungus. It's properties are really quite interesting. It attaches itself under the skin and it feeds from the chakra network. No other fungus or plant can do that. Isn't that funny?"

"Hilarious." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"It's fascinating."

"How long have you been here? Aren't you bored?"

"Certainly not. This work needs to be done, we leave this hideout in three days. I want to destroy everything before then, this evening, in fact. I need to collect this data." I held up a petri dish containing a sample. "These are all that will survive, these ones and the notes."

"hun."

Sasuke pulled away from me. "Are you hungry?"

I took off my safety goggles and lab coat and unpinned the sleeves of my kimono, which had been tied up for safety purposes. I smiled. "Yes."

* * *

Sasuke and I sat in a large open room. It was quite big, and in the center of the room was a large stone snake, candles were lit in it's eye sockets, giving it the impression of glaring. An unnecessary structure, true, but I liked it. Sasuke and I sat on the two stairs of the stand of the huge stone statue. We both eat plain white rice. I eat quickly, I hadn't realized how hungry I was. Sasuke offered me more, which I accepted happily with a quiet "Thank you".

He nodded. "Where's Orochimaru been? I haven't seen him or Kabuto since yesterday morning."

"They went to the tenchi bridge." I said "To rendezvous with an akatsuki. And then kill him."

"I see." He glared at the empty room. "Orochimaru was _supposed _to train we with a new jutsu." Annoyance was thick in his voice.

I sighed. "Oh come now, don't pout. You're so childish." I stood up and sat back down in his lap. I wrapped my arms around. "It's nice to be alone occasionally." I pressed my lips to his. He moved his head forward, leaning into the kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he brought his his hands to my sides, running them up and down my back and thighs. I smiled and ran my tongue against his lips. He opened his mouth and or tongues battled for dominance. I of course won and pushed my tongue into his mouth, rubbing up against his and exploring every already-charted inch and crevice of his mouth. Sasuke tried to push my tongue back and I suddenly I pulled away and stood.

He growled in dissatisfaction and glared at me. "You're such a tease."

I chuckled. "Yes, but only because you're so easy." I leaned down and pecked his lips. "It was nice, though. So as a reward _I_ will help you with your new jutsu."

Sasuke starred at me. After a moment he grinned. "You're really something, Kirika, I swear.."

* * *

**Several hours later**

* * *

I was back in the lab. I had spent a few hours with Sasuke, our training session ended with me leaving him to continue some exercises in the jutsu that did not require supervision, besides, I father had told me to complete these final experiments before he returned. I had just finished the last of the experiments. I had sanitized the area and was concluding with the followup report.

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter." I called

"My lady." Kabuto greeted me.

I nodded to him. 'How have the tests been coming along?"

"They're progressing nicely. You're mission was fruitful I trust?"

"Yes, well, as it turns out Sasori was already dead. The ones who came to meet me were the leaf ninja whom killed him."

"Oh? Did you kill them? They would be more useful to use as test subjects."

"No, they're alive. We let them go."

"Then perhaps we ought to move bases ahead of schedule."

"Perhaps. You know, the ninja we ran into were your former team mates, my lady."

I looked up from my notes.

"Lord Orochimaru believes that if we let them live they would be able to kill at lease one more akatsuki member."

I nodded and smiled to myself. _'Naruto. Sakura. Did you became strong enough to kill Sasori? I'm so proud.'_

"Actually." Kabuto interrupted my thoughts. "We did bring someone back with us. An envoy planted by Danzo. I guess you could call him the replacement for Sasuke and you. He insisted on meeting the other inhabitant of the base. Which is you." He stepped aside into the room. A boy around my age entered the room. He was very pale with strait black hair. He was smiling, though his expression was something I could describe as wax grafted painfully over null emotion.

He smiled, eyes closed and head tilted slightly in a friendly manner. "So you are Kirika?"

He did not use my last name, which I was happy about.

He bowed slightly. "Greeting. My name is Sai, pleased to meet you."

I nodded.

"Naruto and Sakura spoke quite frequently of you."

"Oh?"

"Yes, They've been searching for you for almost three years now..."

I turned back to my work. "I am aware."

"I have been curious to see you for myself, Blinding speed huntress." He continued

I gazed slowly to him, my expression of calm irritation.

He stepped back slightly. He was wary of me.

I chuckled lightly.

"My Lady." Kabuto said, he held out a folder to me. "Take a look at this. It was an olive branch of sorts from Danzo."

"Hmm?" I took the folder from him and untied the cord keeping it closed, I reached in and pulled out a thin stack of paper. I leafed through them slowly. My eyes widened slightly. "An olive branch indeed. A lost of AMBU assigned to the hokage..." I smiled cynically to Sai. "Welcome aboard."

Kabuto took the folder back. "I'll be making a bingo book with this."

I smiled and laughed lightly. "You'll have to let me take another look then. After all, odds are I'll be the one killing them."

He grinned, his glasses caught the light, masking his eyes. "But of course."

I turned my attention back to my report. "Now if you wouldn't mind, I must be getting back to work."

Sai nodded to me again and Kabuto led him out of the room.

I continued to work for the next little while, but not long after they left. I dropped mt pencil, my hand shaking. A familiar shock of pain ran through my chest, I gripped a fistful my kimono tightly. The pain passed and I sighed. I smiled to myself. "Well now..." I said quietly. "they arrived quicker than I thought." I reached into the pinned up sleeve pocket of my kimono and took out my pocket watch. I clicked it open and the song spilled out, flipping up the the slide in the watch I gazed at the picture of squad seven. I smiled brighter, my eyes closing happily. "I must prepare for out reunion!"

In a quick motion I threw the rest of the experimental fungus and host animals into the metal bin. I blew purple fire and slammed the door shut. They burned until all that was left was ash. I packed the reports notebooks and petri dish samples into a case.

I cleaned myself, burned my lab coat and put on my ninja clothing; my black pants and Chinese style top. I put on a purple floral pattern yukata over top my clothes. I waited in my room for a while. Knowing Naruto he would probably run rampant and search ever room in the hideout, which was really quite impractical.

I sighed _'Why are they searching for me I wonder. Am I still a friend? Do they believe I was a spy?'_

* * *

I knocked on Father's door lightly. "Father, it's me." I called.

"Enter." He answered

"Welcome home father." I ran to hug him, he was standing in the middle of the room.

He smiled and hut his hand on my cheek. "Thank you child. Have you finished the experiments?"

I held out the case. "Unfortunately I was unable to complete the final two. I deposed of everything before I could finish all of them." I bowed. "Forgive me."

"We can't have the leaf ninja running around stumble into them..." He mused. "You did a very good job."

My eyes lit up. "Thank you sir!"

"Kirika... how would you you like to go great your old comrades? Think of it as a reward for all your hard work. They're our guests after all, let's make them feel at home."

I smiled ever wider. "I would like that very much."

He smiled wickedly."Excellent."

* * *

**Naruto's POV**

* * *

I looked at the picture of Sai and his brother smiling and holding hands.

"This is the picture of out dream. I wanted to show my brother this." Said Sai. He was smiling. A real smile from the bottom of his heart.

I grinned.

We both froze, startled by the sound of footsteps. Orochimaru emerged from the dark hallway and stopped several metres away from us. "Sai... which side do you intend to take? Well then?"

We both stood and assumed a defensive stance.

"Striking shadow snake!" Orochimaru threw forward his arm, snaked ejected from his sleeve towards us, we leaped back to avoid them. "It appears you've decided to side with them, Sai, or whoever you are."

"I've seen this before!" I said "This is Kira's justu!"

"I stepped in front of Sai. "I'll deal with things here. Sai, you go look for Kira and Sasuke."

"There's no need to search for Kirika." Orochimaru said.

I glared at him, inside though, I was dreading the worst for Kira. "Why not?" I growled.

Orochimaru waved his hand. Another set of footsteps began sounding from the hallway.

My eyes widened. She walked slowly, emerging from the darkness and stopped walking when she reached Orochimaru. Kira smiled warmly and answered for him. "Because I am already here."

* * *

**Kirika's POV**

* * *

Naruto's eyes widened when he saw me. "Kira."

I looked to father, he nodded. I leaped quickly, I doubt anyone saw me move, because when I appeared next to him Naruto gasped. I pulled him into a hug. "I'm happy to see you." I said

Naruto hugged me back. "I'm so glad you're okay." He pulled me away from him. "But now's not the time for a reunion." He stepped in front of me. "Go Sai." Naruto said. "I'll rescue Kira, you go find Sasuke."

"But..." Sai started

"Hurry!"

"Very well. I'll find Sasuke and get him out of here." He said, running off.

I chuckled. "You're going to rescue me? Wasn't it always I whom rescued you?"

"I'm stronger now, Kira." Naruto said, he made a hand sign, "Just watch me, I'm gonna save you."

"So you've come to take Kirika and Sasuke back home, have you? You're persistence is impressive, but will things really go as you wish?"

"Don't call Kira that." Naruto growled. "I don't care if you're one of the legendary sanin like Grandma Tsunade of the prevy sage. I'm gonna kick your ass and take them back! Shadow clone justu!" The smoke from his clones extinguished a few of the candles around him. His shadow clones ran at us.

"Allow me." I said "Striking shadow snake." Snakes ejected from my sleeve, their mouths opened and blades came out, stabbing at Naruto's clones. One on them tried to make a rasengan, but was pierced by a snake. The real Naruto jumped out from the smoke clout created from the shadow clones' dissipation with a kunai, lunging at father, but I caught his in mid air with a snake just before the blade made contact with him.

"Son of a- Kira, what are you doing!? Let me go! I'm saving you!"

I tossed him back lightly and leaped back over to where father was, I really did not want to hurt Naruto. "I won't let you hurt him." I said to Naruto. "I won't let you fight him at all. He'll just kill you."

"Kira..." Naruto whispered.

"Well done, my dear." Father said. He spoke to Naruto. "What happened to all that energy you had earlier? You're power... The kyuubi's power... I know there's more too it than that."

Naruto stood up, panting.

"Show me what you're truly capable of! Striking shadow snake!" Father used his jutsu again, snakes lunged at Naruto, but a pillar of wood ejected from the wall and blocked them.

The wood retreated through the hole it made in the wall and Sakura and a brown haired leaf jnin jumped through the hole into the hallway with us.

"Orochimaru again?" The jonin said.

Sakura nodded to Naruto. She looked at us and her eyes widened. "Kirika!"

Father frowned. "Naruto, I'll let you live for now. Please do your best to kill at least one more akatsuki for me."

"What!?"

"Now then, I have business with that Sai boy. I trust my daughter will keep you entertained. If you'll excuse me." Father disappeared.

Naruto glared and Sakura sighed in relief.

I walked towards them. I smiled happily and held out my arms. Naruto stared a me. Sakura ran to me, accepting my offer for embrace.

"Kirika!" She said, hugging me tightly.

"Hey." I said, wrapping my arms around her. "I miss you so much!"

"I missed you too." She said, just barely holding herself together.

We let go of each other and I ran to Naruto, hugging him once again. "I missed you, too, Naruto." I smiled "I'm sorry I was so rough with you."

Naruto stood still for a moment before slowly hugging me back. "You weren't a spy." Naruto said quietly. "Everyone said you were, but I never believed it, not for a minute!"

"I wasn't." I confirmed. "I'm sorry." I whispered. "I'm sorry for shaking your faith in my just now. I wasn't a spy. I just wanted to meet my mother. That's all. That's why I came to the village. I just wanted to know her." I let go of Naruto.

"Kirika." Sakura said solemnly. "Why didn't you tell us Orochimaru was your father?"

"Would you have, if you were me?"

Sakura gave a small smile. "Not a chance."

"Why didn't you say goodbye?" Naruto asked

"If I had stayed longer I would have told you eventually, but I wasn't ready and neither were you. The only order I ever received from father in the three years I spent in the village was to return home. I received it the night Sasuke left, I had no time for goodbye. And If I had come to you, I don't think I would have been able to leave... But I saw you Naruto."

"What?"

"I saw you unconscious at the Valley of the End. I healed you. I stitched you up before I left you. I don't think you would have lived if I hadn't tended to you."

Naruto gripped the fabric over his chest. He lowered his head. "Oh Kira... I knew it. I never doubted you. Never."

I smiled. "Thank you. So is Kakashi here as well?"

"No, he wasn't able to come, I am his replacement, Yamato." The Jonin nodded.

"Kirika. A pleasure." I greeted him.

"Naruto." Yamato said. "Where's Sai?"

"Sai went looking for Sasuke." Naruto said. "We have to do something before Orochimaru finds him."

"It'll take up the rest of my chakra, but I'll use my shadow clones to search. you three can take that direction." Naruto said

"That isn't necessary." I said. I pointed down the hallway. "We need to go this way."

Sakura looked to the side. She picked up a book, probably belonging to Sai or Naruto. "What's this?"

Naruto smiled. "Sai... He finally remembered, he wanted to show his brother the picture of their dreams."

"They're both smiling..." Said Sakura

"When he finished that picture for the first time he smiled for real, strait from his heart." Naruto said

Yamato crouched down and examined Sai's bag. He took out a book and leafed through it. His eyes widened. "This is..."

"Is there a problem?" Sakura asked

We all looked on.

"A hit list?" Naruto observed

"This was in Sai's bag." Yamato said

Some of the pictures in the bingo book were covered by an X.

"Why are some entries crossed out?" Sakura asked

"They've been eliminated." I said

Sakura mumbled "Why would Sai carry something like..."

Yamato flipped to another page. He held it up. "Look." It was Sasuke's picture.

Naruto gasped. "Why would Sasuke's picture be on... Sai's hit list...?"

My eyes widened.

"It hasn't been crossed out yet. So that's it. It all makes sense now."

"What makes sense now?" Naruto asked

"Sai..." Yamato said "His mission wasn't to become a go-between for Danzou and Orochimaru, not at all. Sai's real top secret mission was the assasination of Sasuke."

"That..." Naruto gasped "That's just not possible! I mean he just said he was going to rescue Sasuke! And he really was smiling from his heart! He really has changed he wouldn't do..."

"But if it was all staged just to trick you, Naruto..." Sakura interjected

"Such a tactic would be more than possible for the owner of this bingo book. Just look." Yamato held the book out again. "This shinobi listed next to Sasuke, he's a jonin from kirigakure that had taken a hard line stance in retaliation to Konoha. So Sai was assigned the task of deposing those whom stand to harm konoha's interest, and Sasuke was listed as one of those individuals. Danzou was after what was o become of Orochimaru's new body... he intended to take Sasuke our of the picture. And to accomplish this he attempted to move Sai in near Orochimaru. He didn't betray Konoha at all, he was working for in... in his own militaristic fashion."

"We need to find Sai now!" Naruto shouted.

"Oh dear..." I mused "Sasuke is probably sleeping right now... It would be a shame if Sai woke him."

"Kirika, do you know where Sasuke is?" Sakura asked

"Of course I do. I know where everything is down here."

"Take us to him."

"It would be faster If I went ahead on my own."

"Please, Kirika, don't run ahead, we can't keep up! Please take us to him." Sakura pleaded

"If you want. This way." I went down the hallway, followed by the three leaf ninja.

* * *

The base shook, something down the corridor exploded. We stopped running."What was that!?" Naruto exclaimed

"It's Sai's chakra." Yamato confirmed

"You see." I mumbled, slightly irritated. "He went and woke Sasuke up. Now I'm the one who'll have to deal with his morning temper."

Sai was standing among the rubble. "Found him!" Sakura said. She ran ahead and grabbed him by his throat, shouting at him. She suddenly stopped and turned, looking up wide-eyed.

Naruto ran down the corridor towards Sakura. He tripped and fell half way there but got up quickly and started running again.

"Shall we go too?" I asked Yamato, he nodded and we walked down the hallway.

"Does that mean kakashi is here as well?" we heard Sasuke ask

We left the corridor into the sunlight. "Unfortunately Kakashi couldn't be here, but I'm here in his place. We, team Kakashi are going to you and Yamada Kirika back to Konoha."

"I no longer use the surname 'Yamada'." I said. "Please make a note not to never use it to refer to me again."

Yamato stepped back. "W-what is that evil aura coming off of her!?"

Naruto and Sakura and Sai stepped back as well, I think Sasuke may have as well...

"She- She does that." Naruto explained "Captain Yamato, don't call her Yamada!"

"What are you doing with them, Kirika?" Sasuke asked

"A happy reunion." I said "Don't be cranky."

Sai drew his short sword and pointed it up at Sasuke.

"Sai!" Sakura shouted. "I knew it."

Sasuke eyed Sai. "So he's my replacement then, is he? He was spouting nonsense about protecting bonds between Naruto and me. One more pansy for the group fin, I'm sure."

"huh?" Sakura asked

"It is true. My top-secret mission was indeed the assassination of Sasuke, but those orders don't matter anymore. Now I want to think and act for myself. Because of Naruto I feel like I might be able to remember something- remember how I used to feel: something I can't help feeling was important to me." He addressed Sasuke. "I may not know you all that well but there's a reason Naruto and Sakura are chasing after you with so much passion: in order to prevent the bonds with you from breaking, in order to keep them intact they're doing everything they can. I still don't have a very good understanding of it myself, But you Sasuke" He looked at me "And Kirika, should have an understanding."

"Sure, I did know." Sasuke said "And that's why I severed them. The only bond I have now is with Kirika; and the fraternal bond forged with hatred. Having too many bonds causes one to loss focus: weakening their strongest wish, their greatest desire."

I clenched my fists.

"If that's true then why didn't you kill me back then!?" Naruto screamed "Is that what you call severing bonds Sasuke!?"

"I simply didn't want to give him the pleasure of seeing my attain power by submitting to his plans."

"What do you mean by that!?"

"There's no need for me to tell you. Still, the one thing I can say to you is that back then I chose to spare your life at nothing more than a whim of mine." Sasuke leaped down to fast for eyes to follow, next to Naruto, he put his arm on Naruto's shoulder. "Come to think of it, isn't it your dream to become hokage? If you had the time to go looking for Kirika and me, you would have been better off training, don't you thing, Naruto? And that's why this time," He drew his katana. "You're going to lose your life on a whim of mine."

"Like there's any chance someone who couldn't save his friends could become hokage. Don't you think, Sasuke?" Naruto's gaze was hard.

Sasuke jabbed his katanat at Naruto, Sai appeared behind Naruto and grabbed Sasuke's wrist, stopping him.

"You're choice of defense." Sasuke said. "Quite correct." He threw Naruto up with his free arm and Sai up with the arm he was grabbing, chidori sparked around him, shocking the two. Yamato shot a wood beam from his palm at Sasuke, but the wood disintegrated when it passed through the electricity.

Sakura ran at him. "Sasuke! I'm gonna stop you with my own power!"

Sasuke stabbed his katana at her, Yamato appeared in front of her and stopped the katana with his kunai knife. The katana broke is knife and stabbed him in she shoulder. Sasuke drove him onto a rock. "You're choice of defense... Quite the mistake."

"Captain Yamato!" Sakura shouted is surprise

Sasuke glanced at Naruto for a few seconds.

Yamato ejected wood from his shoulder where the katana pierced him, pushing Sasuke back. He made a dome of wood around Sasuke, but Sasuke broke through the top and leaped up onto the ledge of the hole me made in the ceiling.

"Why don't you get it!?" Naruto screamed at him. "You're body's going to be stolen by Orochimaru anytime now! Why don't you get it!?"

Sasuke starred at him "If that happens then it happens. You're still quite the kid Naruto. Revenge means everything to me. As long as I can have my revenge I couldn't care less what happens to me or the whole world for that matter. Let me make it clear to you: for both me and Orochimaru, right now, killing Itachi would be impossible. But if I am able to achieve my goals through nothing more than offering Orochimaru this body of mine then he can have my life. And my afterlife for that matter."

I shut my eyes slowly, lowering my head slightly.

"That's enough talk." Yamato said "Naruto and Sakura." He addressed them "With you two here I had hoped that we would not have to resort to any cruder methods, but it's time I got serious."

"Konoha indeed." Sasuke said, he made a hand sign and raised one arm. "I'm through with you. Now things end. Kirika, protect yourself!"

I appeared next to me, he jumped slightly, surprised. I grabbed his arm quickly, stopping him from completing the justu.

"Let go Kirika." He demanded, squirming in my grip.

I tightened my fist and glared hard at him. His eyes widened and he attempted to step back, which he could not since I had a firm hold on him. "You _will_ stop _now_." I turned to the others. "I"m so sorry you had to see him act like this. I warned you he has a bad morning temper."

Father appeared next to me and Kabato on the other side of Sasuke. "Excelent timing, Kirika." Father said. "Now, now, Sasuke, there's no need to use_ that_ justu.

"I have no reason to stop." Sasuke growled

I dug my nails into his writs, drawing blood. He winced slightly. "I told you to stop."

"We want our guests here from Konoha to kill as many akatsuki members as possible, even just one would be fine." Kabuto said "If other akatsuki members get in your way could hit a snag, right?"

"That's a patheric reason." Sasuke said

"But surely you'd allow it if it meant increasing your chances for revenge succeeding by one percent, right?"

Sasuke pulled his arm away from me. "Let go."

Sasuke, father and Kabuto dissipated, appearing to intermediate by flame. I left slower than the others. I looked down at Sakura and Naruto.

"I'm sorry." I said. "Would you tell my mother how I'm doing. Tell her I love her."

Naruto nodded. "That's what she told us to tell you."

I smiled

"Kirika!" Naruto shouted. "Please! _Please!_ Keep Sasuke safe!"

"Always." I whispered, before disappearing.


	3. I will never forget

**Six months ago**

* * *

I gazed at the floor. "He was right, you know."

"hmm?" Sasuke said.

"Naruto was right. If you stay here father will your body. You might have come to peace with it, but I haven't." I looked up at him. "I will protect you."

Sasuke stared at my. "Would you really go against him?"

"No."

"So why are telling me this?"

"Because no matter what I will protect you."

"How do you plan to to do that?"

"I won't raise a hand to my father. So I've come up with two options."

He looked at me curiously.

"In the first one. I gouge out your eyes."

Sasuke sat up. "You can't be serious!" He looked at my, my eyes were hard and unmoving. "You're serious!?"

"He only wants your eyes. I could easily take them, and he would have no need to take your body. I could just as easily replace them, too."

"That's out of the question. I can't attain revenge without my sharingan."

"Should I put this plan into play, the choice will be made by me, not you."

"You would gouge my eyes!?"

I looked at him fiercely. "I will do _anything_ to protect you, even if it means mutilating you. And if you hate me afterwards, so be it. But I will never lose you. I will leave you blind so that you have no choice but to stay with me." I shut my eyes. "And I will kill your brother for you."

Sasuke wandered behind me. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, I leaned back into his chest. "I will never hate you. But you can;t gouge my eyes. What's your second option?"

I opened my eyes slowly. "Do you love me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then run away with me."

...

...

...

_Why didn't you?_

* * *

**Six Months Later**

* * *

"Get ready and come to laboratory two as soon as you're finished"

"Yes father."

* * *

I was wearing a clean white under-kimono, my hair was still damp from the bath I had just took in a tight sock bun, I was barefoot and I had scrubbed my torso so hard the skin had become a slowly fading red. I strolled leisurely through the dark hallway. I stopped in front of the laboratory door and pushed it open, father and Kabuto were both standing in the room, looking over some equipment.

Father looked at me. "Are you ready, my dear?"

I nodded. "Yes sir." I walked to the center of the room, where there was a large examining table; a large sterile slab of metal. I sat on top of the table and tugged down the top of my under kimono, removing my arms from the sleeves so that my chest was exposed and let the chest covering part of the kimono fall down to the sash at my waist. I scooted back and laid down on the table, I brought one wrist up by my head on the table and slid it into a leather restraint attached to it, I fastened it with my free hand. I slid the other wrist into the restraint by my other shoulder and fastened it by pulling the strap with my teeth.

Kabuto held a syringe to my elbow vein. An anesthetic. It would do little good. I would not pass out. It was difficult to drug me due to the poison immunity I had. But if the anesthetic was strong I would go into a daze, which was much more comfortable then laying there completely coherent to the experiment they would preform on me.

Father grabbed Kabuto's arm and pulled it away before he could deliver the anesthetic. I frowned. Of course there was the occasional experiment in which there could be no outside drugs involved for success' sake. I looked up at father. He made a hand sign. "I believe a genjustu would be more effective in this situation." He covered my eyes with his hand. "Sleep, child."

I felt sleepy... this was the same genjustu he used on me in the forest of death. It made me so drowsy when I woke up, which was annoying, but I was grateful for the sleep. I smiled before I fell asleep "Thank you."

I woke up again after it was over, when father was carrying my back to my room. He put me in my bed and turned to leave. I reached out my arm slowly and grabbed his hand lightly. He turned around. "You're awake?" I nodded. He sat down on the bed and cupped my cheek. "Kirika, you're such a good girl." I smiled and nuzzled his hand. He kissed my forehead and left. I fell back asleep.

* * *

**Eight Years Ago**

* * *

"Huh! Huh! Huh!" I kicked the tree stump repeatedly. My kicks were improving.

"What are you doing all the way out here, little one?"

I turned around, a young man was standing on the stairs behind me me. He had long grey hair in a ponytail, and he wore an akatsuki cloak. I smiled . "I am practicing my kicks."

"I see." He smiled, looking around. "Where are your mommy and daddy?"

"I don't have a mommy."

"Oh... alright, where's your daddy?"

I pointed in a direction towards the near by akastuki base.

"Are you lost?"

"No, father told me to practice until he got back."

The man frowned. "Got back from where?"

"The akatsuki. Like you!"

His eyes widened. "Who's your father?"

"Orochimaru."

He looked at me. "I see the resemblance... I think I remember you. You're name is Kirika?"

I nodded. "Kiri!"

"I'm from the leaf village, too. I have a little brother around your age." He walked over to me and sat down on the tree stump. He reached into his cloak and took out a little object that was either a tin or flask. He opened the tin and held it out to me. "Would you like a candy?"

I smiled and nodded. holding out my hand. He shook a little hand candy out of the tin into my hand. I quickly put it into my mouth. "Thanks mister!"

He pet my head, smiling back at me. "You can have the whole tin if you want."

"Really!?"

He handed it to me. "I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

"So why do you have candy?"

"Do you like them?"

"Yes!"

"I suppose that's why. My name is Itachi, by the way."

I bowed. "Thank you Itachi!"

* * *

I woke up dazed to a tickle on my cheek. "Kirika." Sasuke was leaning over me, stroking my cheek.

I smiled wearily at him. I raised my head a up a bit and kissed his lips. "Hmm?"I felt very calm and very tired. I tended to get affectionate when I was tired.

He was frowning. "How do you feel?"

"You know that euphoria that comes after being in pain?"

"Yeah."

"That's what I feel; no pain. I feel good. I'm just so tired." My voice did not rise above a whisper.

"I hate it when he does this to you. _I hate it_."

"I don't mind it. I've experimented on others, why shouldn't I be experimented on?"

"He wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in the crook of me neck."

"Kirika... do you remember when we felt Konoha? You promised you would always stay with me."

"Mm-hmm."

"I love you." He hugged me tightly. "I love you. I love you." He repeated it as if it were his mantra.

"I love you too." I whispered, wrapping my arms around him.

"I don't regret what I did." He said. "I'm so sorry, I know you loved him. But I did it for you."

"Did what?"

"I did it for you." he whispered. "You don't need protected me anymore; now I'm going to protect you."

I smiled and chuckled lightly. "Like you have the balls."

"Keep your promise. Don't ever leave my side."

"Yes." I kissed the top of his head. I cupped his face and stroked his cheek with my thumb. "What's with you? Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm okay. I just want to be with you forever."

"The reason you're saying these things..." I gazed up at the ceiling. "Did you want to have sex?"

"N-no! that's not why I'm here. You're not thinking straight!"

"I'm euphoric." I whispered

"I know." He kissed my forehead and rolled off of my onto his side. He rested his head on the crook of my neck. "I just want to lay here with you."

I slowly took one of his hands, my motions were gentle, as I was dazed and calm. He buried his head deeper into my neck and squeezed my hand, I smiled. I brought his hand under my kimono to my breast. With my other hand slowly pulled at the sash of my under-kimono, it came undone. I nuzzled the top of his head and sighed happily. "I love you."

He shook his head quickly. "Not now." He tried to pull his hand away, but I gripped his wrist tightly.

* * *

**Sasuke's POV**

* * *

Kirika took my hand in hers, she was so gentle, almost frail. It broke my heart to see her like this. what kind of father does _human experiments_ on his own daughter? She adored Orochimaru. how? Why didn't she hate him? And now she was laying here, in an almost drunken stupor after being cut open, tampered with and stitched back up. And she said she felt good. How could she feel _good_!? I squeezed her hand and buried my head deeper into the crook of her neck. It was alright, though. I _would_ protect her. This would _never_ happen again. She would be hurt at first, but if she truly loved me, she would know that I killed Orochimaru for her. It was all for her.

She pulled gently at my hand, bringing it to her chest. I didn't think anything of it. She brought my hand under the fold of her kimono onto her breast. My eyes widened and I felt my face getting hot. She nuzzled my head and sighed. "I love you."

oh hell.

I bit my lip. She let's me second base _now_. This was taking advantage of her. Would she do this if she wasn't euphoric? If she knew I left her fatherless? I shook my head quickly. "Now now." I pulled my hand away, but he gripped my wrist tightly. She looked at me, her usually narrow eyes now large and watchful. She brought my hands to away from her breasts. I sighed in relieve. _'You couldn't have done that a week ago?'_

She kissed my knuckled and let her hands, still enveloping me to sink onto the pillow beside her head.

I smiled. "Some other time."

"Mm-hmm." Her eyes closed and her breathing evened.

"Before you fall asleep." I whispered. She opened her eyes a bit, watching me. "I'm gonna leave the base ahead of you." I stroked her cheek with the back of my hand. "When you recover come and find me."

"I will." Her eyes shut again.

I smiled and kissed her cheek. I waited until she was asleep.

* * *

**Kirika's POV**

* * *

"My lady..."

I opened my eyes slowly. I no longer felt euphoric (or horny), I felt I had slept for too long and I wanted to get up, while still feeling drowsy. I wanted to go back to sleep but I also wanted to get up.

"My lady."

Kabuto was sitting at the side of my bed. His eyes were wide and there was no colour in his face. My first assumption was that the experimant had gone wrong and there was something wrong with me. "Was the experiment a failure?"

He shook his head. "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine. Am I able to get up?"

He nodded.

I sat up in bed slowly. "Bring me some food. I'm starving."

* * *

Kabuto brought me rice balls. I ate quickly. I was so hungry. Kabuto continued to sit at the side of my bed, he averted my gaze. When I was almost dome he got up and left the room, he returned with a new white under-kimono. "Here."

"Thank you." He left the room and I changed into it.

He reentered when I was dome changing. "Lady Kirika..." Something was eating at him. "I need to show you something. He held the door open."

I looked at his, curious. I felt a pang of worry.

He led my through the maze of corridors in the base. From a hallway I could see blood. Splattered around the floor and walls of a room, the door was missing. We walked up to the door.

Oh the bed in the room father- no one of father's shells was vacantly hunched over. On the floor was the sliced up lifeless remains of the white snake, blood was pooled on the floors and hardened in stlatter marks on the walls.

My eyes widened. I covered my gaping mouth with my hands.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHH!"

My knees buckled. Kabuto grabbed my arms and led to to kneel on the floor so that I would not fall.

"My Lady!"

"Oh god... Oh god..." I gripped onto Kabuto's shirt and buried my head in his chest. "No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No."

Kabuto embraced me, he cupped the back of my head. I was not crying. I was shocked. "I'm sorry." he whispered. "I'm sorry."

I turned my head to look at the mess. "Father..." A tear ran down my cheek.

* * *

**Kabuto's POV**

* * *

She was shaking like a leaf, gripping me tightly. Her trembling suddenly stopped. Her face darkened. She stood up, pushing away from me, she began sauntering down the dark hall, as if she wasn't even living. I stood, walking towards her.

"Stay there." She said. Her voice was dark. "No, bring me my clothes."

I retrieved her normal ninja attire and returned to the room. I waited for almost an hour, she was still walking limply and lifeless. She cam from the opposite hall she felt from. She did not stop when she reached me she entered the room. She stopped at a chunk of the white snake. She touched one of the smaller snakes that made up its scales. She wandered to and other and ran her hand over it too. She pulled up she sleeve, brought her arm up, and drover it into the snake.

"What are you-?!" She drew her hand out. she was gripping a katana. She drew a cloth from her kimono sleeve and wiped the blood from her arm and the katana. "Lord Orochimaru's sword..."

"The legendary sword of Kusinagi." She said, gazing at me with her lifeless eyes. She pressed her cheek to the blade. "It is my inheritance." She went to the head of the snake and knelt in front of it. She touched it and kissed the forehead. She stood and left the room. "Come."

* * *

**Kirika's POV**

* * *

I lead Kabuto outside. There was no one else in the base, but what I was about to do would not be stopped if there was. I continued walking until we were off of the underground base. It was in a forest... such a lovely place. I closed my eyes and breathed in the air. In one hand was father's-my sword, in the other was a little cylindrical device with a button at the top.

"Kabuto." I said. "It was Sasuke." It was not a question. No one else _could_ kill father.

"Yes." Kabuto confirmed

clenched my fists. "_How dare he_... This base..." I pressed the button on the cylinder. "Will be father's tomb." The bombs I had set went off.

The base exploded.


End file.
